


If All the Moonbeams Were Bubble Gum and Ice Cream

by hufflebadgerinthetardis



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-31
Updated: 2012-10-31
Packaged: 2017-11-17 10:13:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/550466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hufflebadgerinthetardis/pseuds/hufflebadgerinthetardis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the final battle life is slowly returning to normal and people are moving on with their lives but Neville cannot seem to find his way out of his sorrow. With Luna at his side Neville confronts a task he has been dreading, telling his parents that their torturers are dead and the war they fought in was over. Along the way he discovers that although he has lost much he has also gained something extraordinary, in the form of a certain silver eyed witch.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If All the Moonbeams Were Bubble Gum and Ice Cream

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes place after the Battle of Hogwarts, continuing from the scene where Neville and Luna are sitting together. Enjoy and happy reading!

"I think it suits you very much." Luna said after a few moments of sitting in silence beside Neville.

"What?"

"The sword, the sword of Godric Gryffindor, it suits you Neville." Luna repeated.

"Oh, thanks Luna."

The tension was thick around them and Neville began to fidget with the handle of the Sword of Godric Gryffindor to calm his nerves. Quickly glancing over at Luna he saw that she was sitting calmly watching him. Part of him wanted to be annoyed that Luna didn't seem to feel the tension that was twisting his stomach but when he thought about it, her calm demeanor fit, it was pure Luna.

"You should be careful Neville, you look quite nervous and if you're not careful you will start attracting Vermicious Knids." Luna informed him.

Neville picked his head up to look at Luna and was about to ask what a Vermicious Knid was when he saw that her lips were curling and her eyes sparkled mischievously.

"Are you having me on?" Neville demanded.

Luna giggled before nodding and saying, "You looked so nervous, I couldn't help it, and at least we are talking now instead of sitting in silence."

Neville smiled at her. He still couldn't believe that he was sitting here beside her. He had raced through the castle last night to find her, believing that there was little chance that they would both be there come morning and refusing to die without letting her know how he felt.

He was crazy about her, completely and irreversibly head over heels in love. The only problem was that now that they were both here he had to deal with the fallout. He wasn't good at expressing his feelings. Bloody hell it had taken a war and the threat of imminent death to get him to admit his feelings at all. He sighed and ran a hair through his hand, he was pants at this whole romantic declaration of love thing but for her, for Luna, he would try.

"I... I meant what I said last night Luna. I'm mad about you; I have been for awhile now."

Luna considered Neville for a moment before saying, "No one's ever been mad about me before… I quite like it."

Neville smiled at her words and Luna in turn smiled at him.

"What do we do about that then?"

Luna thought a moment and then reached out, taking the sorting hat out of Neville's hand and placing it gently on the floor. She then slipped her hand into Neville's.

"I suppose we can start with this, and then figure it out as we go."

Neville squeezed the delicate hand that was entwined with his as he said, "I think I can get used to this."

Luna's smile was brilliant and her eyes took on a dreamy quality as she said, "Plus, Daddy thinks holding hands are a good way to attract a Crumple-Horned Snorkack."

* * *

The months following the final battle were some of the hardest that Neville had ever faced. There was the castle to repair, death eaters to be rounded up, and countless funerals to attend. There were several times where he felt like he would drown in the despair but he never did, because of her.

Luna was his strength, his anchor. It was her small hand in his that got him through Colin Creevey's funeral and the speech that Dennis sobbed while giving. It was her arm around her shoulder that allowed him to keep his composure as they gathered to say goodbye to Professor Lupin and Tonks, and it was only her voice, whispering that she was there for him that got him through Fred's funeral.

They had grown much closer in the months following the final battle. The hours that he spent with her were like a balm to his soul which was laden with sorrow. She was truly like her namesake, a bright, shining light that cut through the darkness. For all that he was healing from the horrors of war there was still one action that needed to be taken and it weighed heavily on his heart.

Luna, as she so often did, seemed to know instinctually that something was wrong.

"You know you should talk about what's bothering you." Luna told him one day as they sat in Kitchens of Hogwarts eating lunch.

"How do you know…?"

"You're sad." Luna said simply.

Neville sighed and said, "Everyone has been talking about closure and how they are starting to try and move on but I can't. There is something I have to do. My parents, they don't know. They don't know that we won, that the monsters that put them in St Mungos are dead. They don’t know that the war they fought in, the cause that they gave their sanity for finally won. I know they can't really comprehend the news but I still have to tell them, as foolish as that sounds.”

“I don’t think that it’s foolish at all,” She told him.  

“It's just that for so long I held on to the fact that Bellatrix and the others were alive, that they were in Azkaban paying for what they did to my parents."

Luna put her fork down and moved to sit next to Neville, placing her hand lightly upon his thigh.

"When they broke out all I could think of was that they had to pay. When we fought at the Department of Mysteries I swore I would get to her, Bellatrix, to make her pay for what she did to them. Now that she's dead, it all seems pointless. It's not any better than it was before, she's dead and my parents are still in St. Mungos. They don't even know who I am."

Luna didn't know what to say, didn't know if there was anything she could say, so she just threw her arms around Neville and lowered her head to his shoulder.

"I'm scared Luna. I'm scared that if I go see them now that something in me will break, that I will lose something that I can't get back. Gran is still recovering and I don't think I can face them alone." Neville admitted in a whisper.

"You're not alone Neville."

* * *

They walked through the hall of St Mungos side by side and although Neville was the one who knew where they were going, it was Luna who led the way. Her hand held tightly in his own was the only thing that allowed him to put one foot after the other.

He had explained to Luna all about his parents and she had listened to him patiently as he had rambled on and on about the visits he had made since he was young. She had also held him tight when it all proved to be too much and he had blurted out his deepest and darkest secret through his tears, how there were times that he wished they were dead instead of lying senseless in the hospital.

She hadn't judged him and before he could even begin to feel awkward for his outburst she started to tell him about her mother. It had been an emotional evening.

"Neville, is this it?" Luna questioned softly, her voice cutting through his thoughts.

He looked up and saw the familiar sign marking the Janus Thickey Ward. Taking a deep breath he pushed open the door to the ward and led Luna inside. He walked past several beds until he drew to a halt. There, lying in two beds set up close to one another lay Frank and Alice Longbottom.

"Hello Mum, Dad." Neville said.

Alice Longbottom looked up at his voice while Frank Longbottom reached his hand out for the glass of water sitting on a night table in between the beds. He groped wildly for it and ended up knocking it off the table where it shattered on the floor, spilling water everywhere.

Neville cringed and walked forward to pick it up but was beaten to the punch. Luna floated over to the shattered glass and pulled out her wand. Vanishing the water, she then flicked her wand at the glass, repairing it instantly. Another flick of her wand had the glass cleaned and after a mumbled, "Aguamenti" she had the glass filled with water.

Luna handed the glass to Frank Longbottom with a smile saying, "Here you go Mr. Longbottom. It was right horrid of those Nargles to knock the glass out of your reach. They’re quite mischievous, always stealing my necklace at school. I'm Luna by the way, Luna Lovegood."

Frank took the water and started to drink. He dribbled water down his chin but when he looked up from his glass he smiled vacantly at Luna who simply beamed in response.

Neville felt tears prick his eyes and tried to push them aside. Clearing his throat he spoke the words he had come to say.

"Mum, Dad, they are gone. Bellatrix, the Lestrange brother, Crouch Jr, they're dead. Well, maybe not dead in Crouch Jr.'s case but close enough. The war's over and we won. Harry defeated Voldemort. There's finally peace."

"Your son was so very brave," Luna said after Neville had stood silent for a few minutes, "He led a rebellion when evil wizards were taking over the school. He fought in the Battle of Hogwarts and he destroyed a horcrux, sliced the head of that snake right off with the Sword of Godric Gryffindor. You son is a hero Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom."

Neville was so in shock that he could only stare at her and though she had been facing the Longbottoms she turned now to face Neville, still speaking to his parents but looking him right at him.

"He's more than just a hero though. He is brave and kind. He never gave up, not when hundreds of others were ready to. He doesn't laugh at me like the others do. He is good to me, the best thing to ever happen to me. Your son is a great man, Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom, and I love him."

Neville lost the battle with his tears and he felt them fall down his face. He was spared trying to think of something to say when his mother started to fidget. She had her hand up and pointing at him her face contorted as sounds escaped her throat. Though she couldn't speak, her intention was clear, she wanted her son.

Neville walked over and sat by her bedside.

"I'm here Mum." Neville told her.

She reached out and grabbed his hand using the other hand to wipe at his tears. She grinned at him and handed him a bubble gum wrapper. Neville smiled and took the offered wrapped.

"Thanks Mum."

Alice cocked her head towards Luna and with a sharp movement reached out to grab her hand as well. Luna was a bit startled but smiled sweetly at Alice all the same. With a laugh Alice moved to clap her hands together, bringing Neville and Luna's hands together as well. Neville released his mother's hand and took Luna's. He looked up at Luna and though her face was as serene as it always was her silver eyes swam with unshed tears.

Neville, looking into her eyes, realized that everything was going to be okay. He had lost much in his life, the reminder never clearer than now, sitting in his parent’s ward at St Mungos but he had gained something as well. He had gained the love of the blond haired witch sitting across from him, holding his hand across his mother's body, her eyes glistening with tears for him and his loss. Luna hadn't been disgusted by his parents and she hadn't kept to the corner afraid to get near them, she was here, sitting beside his mother.

Her words from weeks ago echoed in his head

" _You're not alone Neville."_

No, he wasn't alone and it was a fact that he was finally beginning to realize. He had Luna. Luna who had gotten him through the horrific months following the final battle. Luna who was here with him now, lending him her strength when his failed. Luna who he could tell anything to without being judged, the girl who listened to him, who loved him.

Neville still wasn't good at emotional declarations of love but the words came to him without thought and he let them pass through his lips without question.

"I love you Luna Lovegood, radiant as the moon you were named for."

In retrospect, he thought it was a bit much but the smile that lit her face made it worth it. There was no other word to describe her when she smiled like that. When deliriously happy, Luna Lovegood simply glowed.

His mother clapped her hands loudly and blew a bubble that popped with a sharp crack and the moment was ended. Luna giggled and when she was offered a piece of bubble gum she took it and proceeded to blow bubbles and pop them with Alice.

Yes, Neville thought as he watched the girl of his dreams blow bubbles with his mother, with Luna by his side he could do anything and finally after months and months of sorrow and hardship Neville finally believed that everything would be alright.

 


End file.
